Sam Bai Mai Tao – First Impressions

Posted on December 2, 2014

Brought to us by Maker Group Production and directed by Chai Chatayodom, Sam Bai Mai Tao, is the newest weekend installment from Channel 3. Airing its first episode last Sunday, this remake from ’95 brings on a lighthearted family drama to the current lakorn lineup.

The story follows a warm and loving family- as seen in the above photo – albeit with a strict father. There is nothing more in life that he loves more than to freeze the moments with his daughters and keep them where he wants them. Perhaps due to his possessive and interfering parental ways, his three daughters are anything but under his firm control.

Meet Konwasa (Nycha Nuttanicha), the eldest daughter who recently finished her studies abroad and is groomed to take on the family business. The problem is, Konwasa is independent and prefers to be successful on her own terms and opts to work for an International interior designing company rather than working for her old man’s renown construction firm. This bugs Papa Bear to no end. But wait ‘til he finds out the bigger secret that she’s hiding from him. Konwasa married her sweetheart (Alex Rendell) while living in San Francisco, but because he hasn’t established himself nor come from an established family, she feels that her father would not accept him. Once the two returned to Thailand, she asked him to keep their marriage a secret – let’s tell everyone we’re friends! – until he opens his own restaurant and make her proud enough to introduce him to her family.

Second daughter is Anthra (Ice Amena), who feels more comfortable in jeans and a flannel, not to mention, works as a private eye for women who suspects their spouses are cheating on them. Naturally, this has turned her into a man hater – or maybe she has always been a man hater (we don’t know) – so her mission in life is to reveal men for their true colors. She relented that there are good men out there – but it’s few and far in between – and she’s not holding her breath. But the next person she is paid to investigate (Louis Scott) will put her judging ways to the test, will she actually meet a one-woman kind of man?

The youngest daughter is Intuorn (Pream Ranida) who wants everyone to get along, and doesn’t want to rock the boat. She loses sleep on whether she would disappoint her father in any way. Her dream is to be a ballerina – she has calluses and bloody toes to prove it – but even after getting into a ballet institution in America, she fears that her father would not approve. To top it off, she crushes on a man whom she refers to as uncle (Smart Krissada)(they’re not related- she met him since she was a little girl) and he had been the one to carry her in his arms and danced with her. He also introduced her to her favorite classical music. It is too bad he’s more than ten years her age, it is too bad he is already married, and it is too bad he’s her father’s friend, or is it? Turns out, this aforementioned man is named Sith, a rich socialite who had an arranged marriage with a woman who is the worse match for him. He has been unhappy ever since.

One of life’s biggest challenge as a parent is learning to let go. As much as we want to freeze time or shrink our little one in our pockets, they will grow up and have their own lives. We will watch Asada (the father) tested with this challenge and see how his perfect family life unravels before his eyes. Will he learn to let go or will he push his daughters even further due to his stubborn, controlling ways? One thing is true, he does have his heart in the right place. And to cast the perfect father? This veteran actor certainly knows how to make his story compelling.

Unfortunately I haven’t fallen in love with any of the main characters yet. I feel sorry for Sang (Alex Rendell) the most because his wife is too ashamed to fully introduce him to her family. Despite vowing to go through the thick and thin together, she’s basically telling him that he’s only worthy to be introduced to her family – and thus be accepted by her family – if he becomes successful in his own right. It would be a different story if it was coming from him – that he wants to be better for her, for himself– but Konwasa mostly fears her father won’t accept him as a mere chef. I do find that among the other couples, these two have the most chemistry. I just hope that Sang will find the strength to stand up to her and learn that perhaps his love should be enough, as her love for him is enough. Besides, he will make a great Mr.Mom.

I haven’t found the craving for more episodes, so I may sit out for the rest of this lakorn, awaiting the next lakorn to suck me in. But it could be your cup of tea, really.

Or maybe you are afraid your kid will turn out like these uncontrollable adorable little women? I’m kidding, P’Fia. I wish I’d a boyfriend like Sam who would say things like you are my breath, how can I live without you and cook turkey for daddy in law because he felt guilty of lying. I can understand where they came from. A marriage without approval can’t last long. So, she’s postponing to introduce. Not unacknowledging. Also, she’s fighting with her dad over not to get into her dad’s business. Just that, the dialogues she’s saying are a little selfish.

hi fia, long time. I’ve been away from lakorns for k dramas instead. but I have been re-watching the Juthatep series. Anyways, thanks for your first impression. I’m not really sure I’ll watch this but I might give it a try bc of alex and louis. I’ve never been a Smart fan as I find that he’s nice to look at but he’s such a wooden actor. every lakorn I’ve watched him in (bc I decided to give him another try), I find myself disappointed. Oh well, the lakorns I’m really looking forward to are mafia luerd mungkorn series and the revival of my OTP from sud sai paan, toontam x view in ngao jai.

Please can someone tell me, where I can find “Tang Dern Haeng Ruk” with english sub or a site who someone make a recap of this project because he look like very funny and the story with Rita and Alex make me very curious because they love each others but never crossed the state of friendship. Alex will marry a other girl which clearly see the love they caring for each other, and the seconds leads story seem to be very interesting !!!

Love your blog! I am relatively new to the lakorn world and I recently watched Raeng Pradtanah with nadech, saipai jao 2015, and the some of nadech & yaya’s earlier works.

My favorite one is saipai Jao; I liked it because the main actress was smart and strong will (even though she is clueless and like to jump into conclusion). I am not into slap kiss, too dramatic, or revenge dramas.

I was wondering if you could recommend some dramas for me with a strong/smart male/female leads? I want to watch a lakorn but since I am not very familiar with the lakorn world, I am not really sure what to pick and I don’t want to spend too much time watching a few episodes and get disappointed.

Thanks so much!
I read that you just have a baby! Hope that both of you are well and happy! Welcome to motherhood!

Happy New year Thuy! welcome to the lakorn world, and subsequently, my blog! I love a good romcom as well. Please feel free to peruse the “ratings” page, it should help you determine what lakorns to watch next based on your specifications 🙂 Good luck and I hope you stay addicted to lakorns.

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